When Daemon approached the cartel hideout, the place seemed unnervingly dark and cold. As he reached the gate, the atmosphere grew even more oppressive, and suddenly multiple men appeared behind him aiming their weapons.
"State your business or get lost! Otherwise, we'll open fire!" one of the men shouted. The carte members had been on edge since the boss's death, their ranks filled with paranoia and fear of betrayal. Each member was ready to turn on one another at the slightest provocation.
While approaching, Daemon had already sensed the people around him. Though they hid in trees and underground, his enhanced senses easily detected them from their heartbeats and breaths were as loud as drums to him.
Daemon paused his eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed the situation noting the nervous glances and twitching fingers on triggers, he could almost taste their fear in the cold night air. "My name is Mortis, I am the apprentice of your late boss. Before his untimely death, he entrusted me with the responsibility to lead you," he stated calmly. The reason Daemon changed his name to Mortis is because he didn't want them to know his real identity and make it possible for them to do a background check on him.
'They need a leader now more than ever. Fear is a powerful motivator, but so is hope. I must give them a reason to believe, or I might have to eliminate every last one of them.' he thought.
On his way here he had already planned out his infiltration, by leveraging the boss's death, he could claim to be a secret apprentice.
"The boss never mentioned having an apprentice... You must be lying, and for that, I will kill you myself!" another cartel member bellowed, stepping forward with a sneer.
Daemon's eyes flicked with a knowing as his posture remained relaxed. He anticipated this skepticism, knowing doubt could be as powerful a weapon as truth.
"You're right to question," Daemon continued smoothly, his gaze sweeping over the assembled men. "But consider this: the boss was a wise man, foreseeing the need for a successor in times of uncertainty."
He paused letting the implication sink in. "I come not to disrupt but to ensure continuity. I carry his legacy forward, offering stability in this chaotic time."
Behind him, he sensed the tension escalate. His senses caught every quickened heartbeat, every shallow breath a mix of fear and doubt.
Expected. The first test of many. Let's see how they react to a show of strength.
Daemon considered using his aura to instill fear in the men and make them lower their guard. Just as he was about to act, a commanding voice rang out.
"Wait."
At the sound of the voice all the cartel members stopped and lowered their guns. From inside the hideout, a man emerged Jason, a short figure with rough brown hair, wearing a black open jacket, a white t-shirt, and black jeans. Jason has been the boss's right-hand man, struggling to maintain order since his boss death. He was known for his tactical mind and unflinching loyalty, making him a crucial figure in the cartel's hideout.
He walked up to the gate which automatically opened allowing him out.
"Manager," multiple cartel members called out in respect.
'Manager... Did someone already take over as boss? No, it can't be. It's only been a couple of days. If so, I might just have to kill them and escape or convince him why I'm here,' Daemon's mind raced as he observed Jason's reception. The implications of someone assuming leadership so soon after the boss's demise unsettled him.
His gaze flickered with a hint of suspicion towards Jason wondering if this trusted figure by the cartel might already be plotting to consolidate power.
Jason walked up to Daemon eyeing him curiously. "Sorry about the reception. Things have been chaotic since the boss's death. The air is thick with suspicion and tension. The boss did mention having a secret apprentice, but I didn't expect you'd show up so soon."
He extended his hand in a gesture of cautious welcome. "I'm Jason," he continued. "I've been trying to keep things together here. It's been a struggle to maintain order and ensure that no one gets too ambitious or reckless. The news of the boss's secret apprentice was a shock to all of us, but if you're here to take his place, then I suppose we need to talk. We need to understand your intentions, your plans for us, and whether you truly are the one he trusted. We're all on edge, and you walking in like this has everyone on high alert."
Can Jason be persuaded to trust me, or will he see me as a threat to his authority?
Daemon clasped Jason's hand firmly, looking him straight in the eye. "No problem, Jason. I rushed here as quickly as possible because I can't let someone else seize the position he prepared me for," he replied, his voice unwavering. "The boss put his faith in me, trained me in secret, and shared his vision for our future. He saw something in me that he didn't see in anyone else. I owe it to him, and to all of you, to ensure that his legacy continues the way he intended."
"Indeed, it's understandable," Jason said, nodding. "The men need reassurance that our future isn't as bleak as it seems right now. They're scared, unsure of what comes next. If you're truly the boss's chosen successor then you'll need to prove it. Not just to me, but to all of them."
Jason was about to continue when their conversation was interrupted by the blaring sound of car horns. The noise grated on Daemon's nerves as it might distract Jason and derail his plans. He tensed, hoping it wasn't the police or more cartel members.
Who could be arriving now, and how will their presence affect our delicate negotiations?
All the cartel members instantly raised their guns, aiming toward the approaching car. They knew they had to protect the hideout, but most of all, they needed to protect Jason. Each member harbored a unique backstory of hardship and survival in the criminal underworld. From former mercenaries seeking redemption to street urchins turned loyal foot soldiers, and mainly those who had nothing going in life or being destroy by other orgs then their allegiance to the cartel was a complex of survival, loyalty, and unspoken debts.
As the car came to a stop, the door opened, and a tall man with blond hair and blue eyes stepped out, wearing a white fur coat and a white suit. Removing his glasses, the man exuded arrogance.
"What's happening here...why are you guys aiming your guns at me?" the man shouted.
Jason's gaze turned cold. 'Who are you?' he demanded.
"This is how you meet your new boss?" the man shouted. He knew the importance of asserting dominance in the cartel's structured hierarchy.
"Boss...can you explain what you mean, or we will kill you for interfering with something important," Jason demanded as he was keenly aware of the rituals and unwritten rules that governed succession in their ruthless world.
"Boss Jackson said that after his death, I, Emanuel, would take over in his place," the man proclaimed loudly.
Emanuel, was the illegitimate son of a powerful financier but he abandon until he was found by boss Jackson who saw something in him at the same time from Jackson power and wealth Emanuel believed being Jackson adopted son and wealth and connections made him the rightful heir.
His arrogance was well-founded, as he had never faced the hardships that shaped the cartel's core members.
"What?" Jason was shocked.
Everyone beside Jason was shocked, and they all started side-eyeing Daemon. Jason took a couple of steps back.
"He's lying! Look at him does he look like someone who deals with what we deal with daily?" Daemon stated. 'If he is really the boss's apprentice, this will be bad for me. I have to find a way to fix this,' he thought.
The cartel members considered Daemon's words. Emanuel did appear to come from a life of luxury he didn't look like someone accustomed to hardship or violence.
"What do you mean? Do you dare question me?" Emanuel shouted back, anger flaring in his eyes.
Daemon quickly calculated his next move. "Fine. Let's have a test. A real boss should be able to lead and protect his men. How about we both take on a challenge? Something that proves our worth?"
Jason nodded. "That sounds fair. Emanuel, do you accept?"
Emanuel sneered. "I don't need to prove anything to the likes of you, but if this is what it takes to shut you up fine."
Emanuel stepped in front of his car releasing a strong intimidating presence that caused most of the cartel members to shiver, know his presence a smirk of pride appeared on his face, but it quickly faded as he felt an even more terrifying presence emanating from Daemon. The cartel members including Jason were visibly more shaken with some even losing control of their bladders.
"Hmm, see? He's a fraud. I've accomplished more than he could ever dream of," Daemon said, his voice dripping with disdain and confidence. "He claims to be the boss's successor, but look at him. He doesn't have the strength, the experience, or the resolve to lead. I've faced challenges and horrors that would break a lesser man. This impostor doesn't have what it takes to command respect or fear. I've earned my place through blood, sweat, and sheer will. So, ask yourselves, who would you rather follow? A pampered pretender or a proven killer?"
Emanuel's face twisted in anger. "You think you're so tough? You're just a lowlife trying to muscle in on what you don't deserve!"
Daemon smirked. "Lowlife, you say? If only you knew. I didn't just survive in the shadows; I thrived. You, on the other hand, look like you've never even dirtied your hands."
Emanuel scoffed. "And you think that makes you better? I have resources, connections, real power. Something you clearly lack." he already had planed to use his financial resources to bribe key members and secure a quick victory. However he underestimated the grit and determination of those who had risen through the cartel's brutal ranks
Daemon's mind raced, assessing the implications of Emanuel's bold assertion. What Emanuel said was right he had no Allies the thing is he like being alone as an artist he was always alone he didn't need other help he only trusted few letting few into his inner circle and now If Emanuel managed to sway the cartel members, it could unravel everything he had meticulously planned. His next words needed to sway Jason's trust back to him.
"How about we both come up with a way that master taught us to prove ourselves?" Daemon proposed.
"Sure, at the same time," Emanuel agreed.
"Master always said to prove yourself is to show your strength," Daemon and Emanuel said in unison.